Nevada-based firms, casinos missing from best companies for minorities list

Wednesday, July 5, 2000 | 11:13 a.m.

Fortune Magazine's new list of America's 50 Best Companies for Minorities includes several firms operating in Nevada -- but none headquartered in this state and no big casino operators.

Companies operating in Nevada on the list include No. 1 Advantica (Denny's restaurants), No. 2 Levi Strauss & Co., Avis Rent-A-Car, U.S. Postal Service, SBC Communications (Nevada Bell), Xerox, Hyatt and McDonald's.

Also, Bank of America, Washington Mutual, Federal Express, Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden and Red Lobster), UAL, Ford, United Parcel Service, Allstate, Pitney Bowes, Marriott International, Hilton Hotels, Cummins Engine and Safeway (Von's supermarkets).

Fortune said its rankings are a collaboration between the magazine and the Council on Economic Priorities. Rankings were based on factors like what percentage of new hires are minorities and what percentage of minorities are in leadership roles.

Fortune said of the 50 companies: "They have clearly cast their lot with the employee of the future. Each of these companies takes extraordinary care to recruit and retain a diverse work force -- even, in some cases, at the cost of throwing over the old culture and constructing a new, more inclusive one in its place."